Aquino's rating drops

By: Joyee Marie N. Dela Cruz and Jaime Pilapil, The Manila Times

THE net satisfaction rating of President Benigno Aquino 3rd has dropped by nine percentage points, according to the recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.

The survey results, which were first published in BusinessWorld, showed that 68 percent of the respondents said that they were satisfied with President Aquino’s performance while 19 percent said that they were not with a net satisfaction rating of +49. This is down from his “very good” rating last December of +58 percent (71 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied).

Malacañang blamed the President’s low rating to the oil price increases.

“Across the board the number of those who said they were satisfied with the President’s performance fell, although overwhelmingly the net result remained ‘very good’ in terms of geographic areas, socioeconomic class and gender,” SWS said.

Moreover, the survey firm said that the first quarter’s +49 result is only the second “good” net rating for the President, the first being the +46 recorded in June last year.

The pollster said that Mr. Aquino has enjoyed mostly “very good” scores—the highest being a +64 in November 2010.

Areas, classes

The survey agency said that a 15-point drop was recorded in the Balance Luzon (Luzon without Metro Manila), to a “good” net rating of +45 (67 percent satisfied, 21 percent dissatisfied) from a “very good” +60 (72 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) previously. The region was to blame for the overall dip of the President’s rating.

It added that satisfaction rating also fell but remained “very good” in the rest of the country.

The survey showed that in Mindanao, the rating was +53 (69 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), three points below December’s +56 (71 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied); in Metro Manila it was +52 (72 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied), two points below the +54 (70 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in the previous quarter; and in the Visayas, +50 (67 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied), nine points lower than the +59 (71 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) three months earlier.

The pollster said that in rural areas, the satisfaction rating was still “very good” at +52 (68 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), although it was down 12 points from the +64 (75 percent satisfied, 10 percent dissatisfied) the same with urban area where the net satisfaction also fell to a “good” net +45 (68 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied), seven points below December’s “very good” net +52 (68 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), recorded in previously.

In terms of socioeconomic classes, the President’s net satisfaction remained “very good” among the Class ABC at +62 (79 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), down a point from +61 (72 percent satisfied, 11 percent dissatisfied). It also stayed “very good” among the Class E at +52 (68 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), four points down the previous rating of +56 (70 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied).

However, Mr. Aquino’s rating dropped significantly among the Class D or masa—from +58 in December to +46 (67 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied), the survey showed.

Not serving poor

The survey said that when asked if the President was serving the interests of the rich, the middle class or the poor, 52 percent of the respondents said that he favored the middle class, down slightly from the 55 percent notched in September 2010 when the question was last raised.

“The proportion of those who said that the president was serving the poor fell by 13 points to 35 percent from 48 percent, while those who said that he was serving the rich rose four points to 27 percent from 23 percent,” it said.

The SWS classifies net satisfaction scores of +70 and above as “excellent;” +50 to +69, “very goodp;” +30 to +49, “good;” +10 to +29, “moderate,” +9 to -9, “neutral;” -10 to -29, “poor;” -30 to -49, “bad;” -50 to -69, “very bad;” -70 and below, “execrable.”

Its latest survey, which was conducted on March 10 to 13, 2012, used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, Balance of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao and had margins of error of plus or minus 3 percent for national percentages and plus or minus 6 percent for area percentages. SWS said that the latest survey was non-commissioned.

Oil price hikes to blame

Malacañang said the survey showed that the public still supports the President. Abigail Valte, Palace deputy spokesman, said that the low rating can be attributed to the oil price increases.

“The President’s satisfaction rating in the latest SWS survey indicates continued public support and satisfaction with the President’s performance. Satisfaction with the President remains at very good in ABC and E, which suggests to us that the middle class understands the external reasons for oil price increases, while the Social Safety Nets of the administration are working in Class E,” Valte said.

“Please note that for regional numbers, the margin of error is plus or minus six points. 

Therefore, we note essentially unchanged satisfaction in Mindanao despite the power situation, and a marginal change in the Visayas despite the earthquake. Both suggest to us that the public realizes the efforts of the President to attend to the effects of the quake in the Visayas and improving the power situation in Mindanao,” she added.

“We observe that Satisfaction with the President as of the survey went from very good to good in Balance Luzon and among Class D. This was the time of talk of a jeepney fare hike. We believe, however, that as efforts such as Pantawid Pasada kick in, combined with low inflation and improved prospects in agricultural and other exports, that the situation will stabilize and there will be renewed satisfaction with the President,” she said. 

A member of the majority bloc from the House of Representatives also dismissed the drop of satisfaction ratings, saying that it is “expected.”

“Historically, it is the trend or past presidents as they approach their midterm of office,” Rep. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, a member of the ruling Liberal Party, said.

He also blamed the price surge on fuel products for the downtrend of Mr. Aquino’s satisfaction ratings. 

“The past quarter saw a series of fuel price increases which are beyond the control of the President. Of course, people won’t accept the fact tthat prices of oil are being dictated by international market forces. So, this can be the main reason for the drop,” Evardone said.